Folded hydrophone array for narrow marine vehicles

摘要

An extendible linear sonar array for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) comprises a linear hydrophone array fixed in the nose of the AUV and two hydrophone array segments mounted at the leading edge of stabilization fins extendible from and retractable into the AUV. The stabilization fins are pivoted to move between extended and retracted positions where, in the extended position, the movable arrays together with the fixed nose array form a linear sonar array with extended width. In the retracted position, the stabilization fins with the hydrophone arrays pivot and fold back into stow channels in the AUV body. The stabilization fins may include movable control surfaces to control the attitude of the AUV, or the stabilization fins can be rotated when in the extended position to provide attitude control.